As sacrificial animals were being transported in the district on the occasion of the forthcoming Eid Ul Azha, the Live Stock Department(LSD) was testing Lumpy Skin Virus(LSV) and Congo virus at eleven cattle markets set up by the Rawalpindi District Administration. Director Livestock Dr Sarfraz Chatta told APP that livestock teams were administering the vaccination to the animals against the LSV and Congo virus while suspected animals were also being separated at the cattle markets. He said that animals found having positive symptoms of Congo or LSV would not be allowed to enter markets at any cost. The Director informed that LSD had already established seven check posts on the entry points of the district at the Toll plaza, Tarnol, Toll plaza, Mandra, Toll Plaza, Taxila, Chakri, Motorway Interchange, Barian and Kashmir check-posts, Murree, while 14 posts had also set up at the Attock, Jehlum and Chakwal district to avoid the entry of the affected animals in Rawalpindi. Meanwhile, the buyers flocking cattle markets in Rawalpindi were left with little option but to return home without buying sacrificial animals. Residents who arrived here at Bhatta Chowk sale point and their jubilant children told this agency that the animal sellers were demanding overpriced rates beyond their procuring power. Anjum Rajpoot, a buyer at the market, said last year he purchased a small goat of 20 kilograms for Rs 40,000, but now the same animal was being sold at up to Rs 80,000, which showed that the rate of sacrificial animals had gone up by 100 per cent. Wasif Chaudary, another buyer at Adiala Road market, said the rates of goats, sheep, buffalos and cows were inflated, forcing the people to go home empty hands. He said buffalos and cows of 160 kilograms, which were available at no more than Rs 150,000 last year, were sold up to Rs 250,000 this year. President Jamiat Ul Quresh Pakistan Khursheed Ahmed Qureshi said the primary cause of the increase in prices of animals was due to high petroleum prices rates, the cost of animal breeding, and auctioning of cattle markets at high rates and bribes collected by the officials of various departments. He added that online shopping for sacrificial animals had also changed the trend of market prices as people preferred online platforms. Qureshi said the use of online platforms to purchase sacrificial animals could also be another reason for small crowds at the cattle markets, adding online companies offering a goat of 14 kg at Rs 41,000 and 10 kilograms of share in cows or buffaloes at Rs 20,000. “We appeal to the government to announce the tax-free cattle market so people could purchase sacrificial animals at reasonable rates due to prevailing inflation.”